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A. W. PORTER. APPARATUS FOR'AMALGAMAITING METALS.

No. 245,092. Patented Aug. 2,1881.

v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. W. PORTER. APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING METALS. I

No. 245,092. Patented Aug. 2,1881;

MAMHL M Witnesses:

Inventor:

UNITED STATES in the United States Patent PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO W. PORTER, on NEW YORK, N. Y., nssrenon or one TWENTY- FOURTH TOw. P.

ROBINSON, TRUSTEE,

FOR THE PORTER MACHINE AND MINING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING METALS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 245,092, datedAugust 2, 1881.

' Application filed October 31, 1879.

State of New York, have invented a new and V valuable Improvement inApparatus for Am algamatin g Metals; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the.

same, reference beinghad to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon. e V

Figure 1 is a side view of the amalgamator. Fig. 2 is a vertical centralsectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the same.Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner cylinder with its attachments.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class ofamalgamators popularly known as vacuum-amalgamators, in which the pulpor pulverized ore is drawn through the medium of amalgamation-column ofmercury under the condition of exhaust produced by suction or under theinfluence of atmospheric pressure.

This application, although filed first, is intend ed to cover or protectthe special combinations of a revolving hopper and its necessaryadjuncts in this class of machines, as will be hereinafter more fullyset forth, and also described and shown in the companion applicationfiled by me April 16, 1880, now pending Office, but not speciallyclaimed therein; it

The improvements will, first be described, and then specifically pointedout in the claims.

In "the annexed drawings, the letter A represents a suitable frame forsupporting the apparatus ina vertical position. This frame is providedwith a suitable base cross-bar, b,

tical shaft, hereinafter described.

The letter B indicates the revolving outer case or hopper, forming areceiver for the pulp or pulverized ore on its way to theamalgamating-chamber. Within this outer case is ar- .with step c toreceive the lower end of the verranged an inner cylinder, D, suspendedby the connection with a dome,

basilar flange E, properly secured to the crossbeams d d of the frame,as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The flange E of the inner cylinder extends outward, with an upturnededge, e, forming, in F, when resting on the upper surface of the flange,an annular space or receptaclefor water, to hermetically seal theeduction or vacuum chamber Q.

The dome F-is preferably formed of glass, but maybe made of cast-iron,and rests upon the flange E, lined with a suitable gasket.

which may be made of rubber, leather, or paper. To complete the sealingof this dome resting upon the flange E, forming a floor for thevacuum-chamber, water is conveyed to the space f between the outersurface of the dome and the vertical wall e of the flange, as seen inFig. 2 of the drawings.

The now-called floor h of the dome F is depressed (see Fig. 2) to form asink or well to catch and retain whatever mercury may settle thereonthrough the action of the rising and falling column of mercury undersuction, and for the sweeparms or stirring device H, attached to theupper end of the shaft by means of a suitable collar, or cap placedabove the brace-bar I, hereinafter set forth.

A combined yoke and. brace-bar, I, is formed or attached to the upperend of the inner cylinder, (see Fig. 4,) forming an upper bearing forthe shaft'O and maintaining the same in a vertical position. This shaftO, which is pref erably made of wood, and by its size modifies thecapacity of the inner cylinder for holding mercury, is shaped andsquared to fit a formed recess or cavity (not shown) in the bottom oftheouter case or hopper, and is, of course,

strongly secured to prevent any possible displacement or working out ofline.

The lower shaft, 0, having its bearing in the step 0, may be anextension cast upon the outer case; or the shaft 0 may be of metal inone piece and passed entirely through the outer casein a suitablemanner. This shaft O is provided with a series of solid flanges, arms,or open spiral stirrers, K, constituting agitat ors, suitably attachedto give a sinuous or wave motion to the ascending pulp or pulverizedore.

The object of causing the material pulp to pass in a sinuous passagethrough the column of mercury is to keep it in contact with the same fora longer period of time, and to add friction, whereby the amalgamationis greatly increased; also, while the pulp or pulverized material is intransit through the mercury in vacuum the stirrersKwill separate anymasses of the pulp or gangue that might possibly collect. And, again,should the pulp or pulverized ore be fed at one side only of the columnof mercury, these stirrers will distribute the pulp in its upwardpassage and bring the column of mercury into uniform activity and use tofurther promote and increase the amalgamation.

The stirring devices M N, attached to the outer surface of the innercylinder and the inner surface of the outer revolving case or hopper,are arranged substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, or in anyother position, so that they will co-operate-i. 0., some of the stirringdevices being stationary and the others having a motion caused by therotation of the hopper-to produce the desirable result-to wit, preventthe packing of the material in the induction-chamber, and to constantlyand uniformly feed the pulp to the column of mercury.

Within the vacuum-chamber Q, which is of larger diameter than thecylinder-chamber for containing the column of mercury, formed by thedetachable dome, floor, and water-seal hereinbefore described, arearranged the upper and lower eduction or discharge pipes, I, (see Fig.1,) passing outward through the supporting-flange of the inner cylinder,and downward at an angle not less than forty-five degrees, and unitingat a point below the connection with a suitable exhausting or suctionmeans.

The object of the upper discharge-pipe, 7c, is to carry ofi'anddischarge the lighter refuse, and the use of the lower discharge-pipe,l, which is provided with a suitable valve, m, to control its function,is to discharge the heavier or coarser particles of the material thatsettle or collect upon the floor of the vacuum-chamber. This now-termeddouble-arm siphon 5, as already stated, has its lower end connected toan ejector or exhaust-pump, (not shown in the drawings,) and its uppertermini consisting of the two branches, k I, located at the top andbottom of the vacuum-chamber, as shown.

The dome F is detachable to admit access to the interior of thevacuum-chamber to enable the attendant to examine the parts, &c.

In some cases the fiow of water may pass from the seal-space into thevacuum-chamber by corrugatin g the lower edge of the dome and drawing inthe water by the exhaust or suction means for the purpose of dilutingthe pulp within the vacuum-chamber.

The bottom of the outer case or hopper is provided with a draw-off cock,substantially as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Operation: The apparatus being properly arranged and ready foroperation, a quantity of mercury is placed in the outer case or hopper,the prepared pulp or pulverized ore is passed into the hopper or outercase, falling on top of the mercury, the water run into the seal-space,and the air is exhausted by the exhaustin g means from thevacuum-chamber. By the combined action of the exhaust-tension of the airin the vacuum-chamber and the atmospheric pressure acting upon thesurfaces of the material in the hopper, the materials rise in a columnin the suspended cylinder to the highest point, which is determined bythe degree of the exhaust, the maximum being thirtyinches, but inpractice twenty-two inches. The exhaust being maintained at the maximumdegree, the pulp in the outer case fills the induction-chamber B, and,being constantly and evenly fed to the column of mercury, is drawnupward by the aforesaid combined actions, where, by reason of differenceof specific gravity, the pulp rises to the upper surface of the mercury,gradually filling up the enlarged vacuum-chamber to the level of theupper eduction-pipe,-the lower eduction-pipe being closed. The pulp, inpassing through this column of mercury, has the desired efi'ect of theore parting with its gold and silver, which are separated and retainedby the mercury, and the refuse or lighter portions of the pulp,collecting on the surface of the mercury within the vacuum-chamber, arecarried 011' through the upper or branch pipe, K, of the double-armsiphon by the suction.

It will be observed that the ascending pulp is further mixed with themercury by means of the stirrer or sweeping blade located within thevacuum-chamber, so as to secure a thorough mixture of the ore with themercury, and free the lighter particles or waste from the same, whichare afterward carried off by the upper pipe, as already stated. Also, bythis same action of the sweeping-blade, the small particles or flourofmercury are collected and united, and the coarser or heavier portionsof the pulp, which settle upon the floor of the vacuum-chamber, areconcentrated or united more closely, and when the vacuum-chamber issufficiently filled with the same the valve is opened in thelowereduction-pipe, and,being constantly swept over by the stirring device,are ejected, with the tailings, by the exhaust. The valve is now closed,and thus, without stopping the operation of the apparatus, the processis continued.

This application is not designed to cover any peculiarities of processinvolved, nor any peculiarities of structure other than that of therevolving hopper and its necessary adjuncts, as the other features shownand described are claimed in another pending application filed by meApril 16, 1880.

I claim 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, ofa vacuum-chamber having I a suspended cylinder for holding a column of15' case or hopper, of the inner suspended cylinder with avacuum-chamber, a vertical shaft with stirring means arranged within theinner 2o vacuum-chamber.

cylinder, and the stirring device at the upper end of the said shaft andlocated within the 4. In an amalgamator, the combination of the outerrevolving supply-hopper, provided with the stirring devices N N, and thesuspended cylinder D, for holding a column of mercury under exhaust,provided with the stirring device M, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

5. In an amalgamator, the combination of a vacuum-chamber having asuspended cylinder for holding a column of mercury, and provided'with ayoke and brace-bar, I, and stirring device M, revolving supply-hopperwith the stirring devices N N, and the vertical shaft 0, revolving withthe hopper, provided with the stirring devices K and H, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ALONZO W. PORTER. Witnesses:

E. G. HEYLMUN, J. TYLER POWELL.

